Automatic thread cutter and register means for book sewing machines



Jean. M, 195K w B. HILDMANN 2,496,211

AUTOMATIC THREAD CUTTER AND REGISTER MEANS FOR BOOK SEWING MACHINES Filed June 8, 194-1,

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Patented Jan. 195G iil ii'lh STATES ATEN T OFF 1 CE 2,496,211 Awesomeness coarse AND REG:-

ISTER FOR BUUK MACHINES SEWING "nus-ms Application June 8, 1944,.Serial No. 539,240

25 Claims. 1

This invention pertains to the bookbinding arts, particularly book sewing machinery, and has as one of its principal objects the provision of means for accurately feeding and registering books in a sewing machine, and for automatically cutting the running threads usedv in sewing book signatures, and the like, so that the individual books will issue from themachine unattached to each other, thereby eliminating the necessity of manually feeding and registering the books, and for manually cutting the threada and increasing the productive capacity of the sewing machines, and additionally providing a closer and more accurately placed out inthe threading, by reasonof which thread is saved, and the number of rejects resulting from carelessly made manual cuts and improperly registered stitches, is eliminated.

Heretoiore, book signatures, gathered and :stapled in book forrn have been-fed manuallyinto known types of sewing machine employing a running lock stitch or other running. stitch, which results the sewrrbo'oks emerging from the sewer in a connected train. The attendants who .feed such machines require skill and Judgment ac quired by long training and experience in timing th "cling o'fthe signatures in ordei-"thatthe stitchingmay start and end in properrelation ship tothe edges of the book,- andinrorder that the cooks may follow each other as 'closely as possible to reduce'the threadwastage; In racans-e with prior practices is has been neces ry for an attendant to cut the connecting to'"'-"ads as soon asthe books issue fI-Om theme o; usuall two attendants are" required; tone ding, and one for cutting.

The device of the present invention 'ac'com elislies both cutting feeding automatically and overcomes the problem of sroeamngsxect register or the entering Toooks'at highspeeds.

accordance with the" objects of the present invention, the feeding or the signatures is 930'- complished automatically with accurate tiining andspasing of the as they entertii'esewing on, and the cutting of the running eliid lock at the top and bottom 01" each is likewise effected automatically,- with-the hit that the books may be fed 1e tress Lesion, and the thr ng may becut with comiilete accuracy, all at a greatlyificreaseosssed wit out losses or rejects,-and witii less thread.

Furth r and more detailed oc'j-ec'ts the "inventionrelate to the provision in a machines? the class described or hoppermeen's into' wliihh the 3e ei'ed signatures of booksare satire-e to the lit for advancing the soarsonset afiiir'r stitch threads beneath the sewing needle; to the provision of a novel cutter including upper ancllower rotating cutting wheels adapted tograspthe sewn sig natures therebetween at certain intervals and sever the threads attop and bottom quickly and completely to the provision .of drive mechanism for actuating the infeed, the sewing operations, and the cutting operationsin accurately timedrelation to the provision of means for adjusting the machine to receivebook s of different size; to the provision of means inthe cutter .unit for automatic self-adjustment to variations in book thickness and sirnilar irregularities,

Additional objects, aspects oi novelty,.and advantages pe ci'iliar to the invention relate to details of construotionand operation of the embodiment described hereinafter in view of the anflexed drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view if the cornplete automatic sewing machine, showing the discharge side thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the hopper andiieed bed in which the books move from right to left;

Fig. 3 isa tcpplan viewof the feed bed showingthe infeed. and cutter from above;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the feed bed and .infeed rneans looking in the direction of,lines A-d ofFig. 3; v

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the hopper portion of the feedbedshowing the feeding lpawl; g

:Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the feed bed opposite athe lcu-tter unit;

Fig. '7 isan enlargedntopplan View of the. feed bedin the region of the :cutting and sewing stations;

Fig. 8. is amagni-fied yerticalisectional detail through thelportionof thesbed and a book therein adjacent the cuttemalooking in the direction of lines 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a magnified sectional view similar. to Fig. 8' showing the cutting wheels disengaged;

Fig. "1015 a side elevation ofrthe. cutting unit;

Fig. 11 is afront elevation of the cutting unit;

Fig. 12 is a" vertical media-n section through the unit of l-I, lookingeinwt-he direction of lines I2=--i2;-

Fig.'13 is a horizontal section through the cutter looking in the directionof lines I 3--|3 of Fig-.11;

Fig. 14' is a fragmentary side elevation of the cutter actuating'pia-te looking in the direction of lines 14- -1 4 of FigJI3.

Referring to-Fig. 1; showing the discharge side of the machine, there is provided a frame it surmounted by a table portion 2i upon which is secured a standard type of book sewing machine 22, the construction and operation of which is known in the art and therefore need not be set forth in detail herein. The sewing machine 22 includes a shelf section 23 beneath its needle and presser foot it (see Fig. 2) the needle being concealed from view behind the presser foot.

A feeding bed for the books passes over the shelf 23 and includes a pair of side rails 25 and 26 and a bottom consisting of a plate 21 which terminates at its discharge or left end in a downturned apron 28, together with additional plate sections NA (Fig. 3) and a plate member 2115 having a slightly depressed tall 210 at the infeed end onto which the advancing books are pushed by the feeding pawl means to be described.

The books are stacked in a hopper generally indicated at H, Fig. 2, which is defined by uprights in rectangular array at the righ -hand end of the bed. The arrangement of these uprights is best visualized in Fig. 3, wherein uprights 3i and 32 are secured to side rail 25, while uprights t3 and 34 are secured to rail 253.

Upright 3i includes a corner stop member iiiA secured to main upright 3i for vertical adjustment by bolts 3lB working in elongated slots (see also upright 3333A in Fig. 1 for this construction) The purpose of having vertically adjustable corner stop sections 3lA, 33A is illustrated in Fig. 5, and contemplates the passage of only one book at a time from the bottom of the stack by action of an ejector or pusher means 39, the bottom parts as at 3E0 always permitting only the bottom bookto leave the hopper, upright members 3 EA, 33A being adjusted vertically for the thickness of the books.

' The upright includes a movable corner and back stop section 32A (Figs. 3, 4, secured by a thumb screw 32B to slide along rail to accommodate different lengths of book, the rail 25 being mounted to slide bodily away from rail 25 for adjustment to the width of the books by reason of its being adjustably secured on horizontal arms 39 (Figs. 1 and 3) by means of a clamp bar 29 (Fig. 1).

Means for advancing the books one at a time from the bottom of the hopper includes, in conjunction with the hopper structure heretofore described, a feeding pawl 36 (Figs. 4 and 5) having channeled sides which ride on track rails 37, there being an arcuate shoe 38 to slide beneath the stack on the back stroke of the pawl, the forward side 39 of this shoe engaging the edge of the book on the forward or advancing stroke to urge the book into the feeding bed, the books being held down in this movement by a spring presser foot so near rail 25, and another presser 4| near rail 26 (Fig. 3), only one book issuing at each stroke by reason of the construction of uprights 3 l3 iA, 33-33A.

Means for reciprocating the feed pawl includes a rocker lt (Fig. 2) on shaft connected at its lower end 45 with a drive link 41 which in turn connects with a gear 48 on countershaft iii. The upper end of a second rocker MX on shaft t5 connects through double links 58, 5| (Fig. 5 also), with a depending arm 52 on the pawl structure 3%.

Power for driving the entire mechanism, as shown in Fig. 1, includes a motor 55 driving a countershaft 56, in turn driving a countershaft 57, from which power is taken off by a chain drive 58 for driving the flywheel 59 of the sewing machine; the cutter is also driven from when the sewing needle N is down (see Fig. 5),

the sewing machine feeding foot 24 being at this time elevated, and the advancing book engages the lowered needle as a stop, by virtue of which completely accurate register of the advanced book with respect to the needle and placement of the first stitch is accomplished. To this end, the timing of the drive means, heretofore described, for the advancing pawl 36, is calculated to efiect the feeding of a book in step with the descent of the sewing needle after the last stitch in the preceding book. Ihis descent of the needle after the last stitch is an idle stitch which occurs between any two succeeding books, and may be regarded as a registering stitch.

It will be apparent that upon the next descent of the presser foot 24, the first stitch will be -;a. v in the newly advanced book, and from this time until the last stitch is taken, the book is under the control of presser foot 24.

The sewing needle N is situated behind the presser foot 24 and feeding pawl 65, and in conjunction with bobbin means (not shown) makes a running lock stitch, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7, that is, the main thread 66 runs along the upper side of the book B, as in Fig. 6, is carried through the book by the needle N, catches the bobbin thread It with a loop 59, and is carried to the next stitch by withdrawal of the needle and an advance of the book by action of the feed pawl 55. As the book advances to bring its trail- 3 ing edge beneath the needle, another book form is fed by action of the infeed pawl 36, in such manner that the needle will fall upon the next succeeding book at a proper distance from the leading edge of such book, the threading, both main and bobbin, being carried over to the newly advanced book form, as indicated at 68X and EBY in Fig. 6. Spring pressers II and 12 hold the book down in the bed in the region opposite the automatic cutting means, presently to be 2 described, it now 'being apparent that two threads, one on the upper side of the book, and the other on the lower side, the bobbin thread, must be severed, and such severing or cutting must be effected quickly, positively, and at a.

5. closely limited margin with respect to each of the two books connected by the running thread.

The position of the automatic cutting means, generally indicated at 15 in Fig. 6, is preferably such that it will cut the threads connecting the last book to leave the needle N, and the book immediately preceding the same.

The novel cutting means comprises a compact unit such as illustrated in Figs. 10 through 12; it includes upper and lower cutting elements which are normally spring-urged to close together upon a book therebetween; the cutters are power driven and rotate at relatively high speeds; they are held open or in non-cutting position by mechanism actuated at proper intervals, as will appear, permitting them to close upon the book in cutting action.

Referring to Fig. 10, the cutter consists of a main arbor 16 (Fig. 12 also) having yokes T1 at its upper and lower ends, and spaced from each yoke is a corresponding bearing block 18; a cutter spindle 1 9 is journaled in each pair of *yokes-and bearing blocks, each spindlehaving a keyway 79X in which works the 'noseof a set screw Bil of a corresponding pulley 81 so that the spindles may slide up and down in their bearings (Fig. 12)

Each spindle i9 is provided with a sliding bearing 82 carried in a corresponding bearing block, the spindles respectively being: fitted with pairs of collars 83 which cause these bearings to move with the spindles, as will appear.

Each sliding bearing 82 is provided with a rack 84 (see also Fig. 13) adapted to mesh with an actuating pinion 85 carried on a corresponding rocker shaft 85 (Fig. 13) journaled in opposite bearings Bl secured to the arbor. The upper rocker shaft is fitted at one end with an adjusting knobilfi, which, under certain conditions, maybe turned to effect up and down motion of the corresponding cutter spindle through action of pinion 85 on rack 84, for purposes to appear.

Means for eifecting simultaneous axial shifting of both cutter spindles includes an actuating plate 90 (Figs. 10 and 11) having upper and lower elongated solts 9i riding on the projecting ends of the two rocker shafts 86 between washers 52 (Fig. 13)

Fixed as at 93 (Figs. 10, 13, 14) is an actuating rack 94 or 94X, it being observed that the lower rack 95X is mountedon the side of the corresponding rocker shaft 8 5 which is diametrically opposite the side upon which the upper rack 94 is mounted with respect to its corresponding rocker shaft 86; this is to effect opposite movements of both cutter spindles 19 when the actuating plate is moved upwardly or downwardly; thus, when the actuating plate is moved upwardly, the upper -cut-- ter spindle will also move upwardly, but the lower spindle will move downwardly, by reason ofthe aforesaid opposite mounting of the actuating racks 94, 94X, eachsuch rack meshingwitha corresponding pinion 95 (Figs. 11,13) which is adjustably secured toits corresponding rocker shaft by means'of a split clamp 95 grasping the collar hub 97 (Figs. 10 and 13) of the corresponding actuating pinion.

Thus, by an upward motion of the actuating i plate just described, the two cutter spindles will be caused to move away from each other, that is, to open, and a downward motion of the plate will cause the reverse action, or a closing of the cutters, through the agency of the associated rack and pinion drive means 84, 85.

As shown in Fig. 12, the cutters proper consist of hollowed cylindrical plugs I05 each secured removably by screw means l! to the end of a corresponding cutter spindle la, the confronting edges of these plugs being sharply ground to provide cutting edges I02. h l I Means normally and yieldablyurging the two cutter spindles toward each other to closed condition includes a spring 105 anchored at its upper end to a pin Hi on the actuating plate, and at its lower end to a pin 5 (3'! on the arbor, together with asecondspring Hi8 (Fig. anchored at its upper end to a pin I09 on the actuating plate, and at,

its lower end to a pin Ill on a pulley block HI secured to the arbor. These springs pull the aotuating plate downwardly with the result that the two cutter spindles are moved toward each other to bring the cutters I00 into closer proximity, as into engagement with a book. I

Means normally urging the actuating plate 90 into an upper position, to open the cutters, includes a shift rod H5 secured asat [It at its pper end to a bottom region of the plate 90. 7

With the entire cutter unit '15 mounted on the side rail '25 of the feed bed, as in Fig. 9, by having itsarbor'slot 76X fitted onto the rail and clamped thereto by bolt means WY, the shift rod H5 has its lower end secured adjustably in a clamp I20 carried on an arm [2i (Fig. 2) which in turn is fixed upon'a rocker (22 floating as at 523 upon the rocker shaft 15 which reciprocates the book feed pawl 35, heretofore explained. Rocker i2? carries a cam roller (24 riding a cam 525 rotated by counter shaft (iii and including a drop 525 which permits the rocker i2! and hence the shift rod H5 to descend, under urgence of the springs I05 and mil, with a consequent closing together of the two cutters for cutting action upon the threads of the sewn book signatures.

The dwell and drop of the cam 525 is dimen-- sioned in correspondence with the ratio of gears 48 and 53 and corresponding stroke of the book feeding pawl connecting rod 41 such that the closing together of the cutters as aforesaid will always occur when the confronting edges of the two books last sewn and joined by the running thread stand beneath the cutters as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, the feeding pawl 35 being actuated thereafter to push the next book under the presser foot i l of the-- sewing machine.

The timing of the operation of the hopper feed pawl, as heretofore mentioned, is calculated to effect the advance of a book while the needle is down in its idle or registering stroke between suo cessive books, in which position the needle is utilized-as a registering stop for the advancing book; thereafter, however, the newly advanced book. under the control of the intermittent feeding co-- operation of the presser foot 2:2 and the feeding pawl 55 of the sewing machine.

In this connection, the development of the I25 and the ratios of its associated driving means, which are-also common to the sewing machine drive, are adjusted so that the cutters descend quickly-into and out of cutting position, under control of cam !25, at a time when the last stitch is being made in a book; more particularly, the timing 'of the descent of the cutters into cutting position is calculated to occur as the needle N goes down in the last stitch, for it is at this time that the book is standing still beneath the preeser 24. As the needle goes up from this last stitch. so does the cutter shift rod H5, and cutters move apart from the book. Meanwhile, another book is being advanced by the feeding means 35.

- The length of the book is not important to the timing so long as the number of stitches per boot: is unchanged. Gears 6263 may be changed if the number of stitches per book is changed; oth erwise no adjustments are needed for the book size excepting in the'hopper and rails-.2 5-26. Cutting occurs after the last stitch in a predetermined number of stitchesaccording to the ratios of gears 50 and 63.

In order to cut the threads positively, completely, andrapidly, the cutters are rotated at speed by power taken from countershaft 5% at pulleys (36, from which a drive belt 93! is passed upwardly (Fig. 1) over idler pulleys (32, thence over pulley IHX (Fig. 10 also) over the lower cutter spindle pulley 8|. Another drive belt M33 is passed upwardly over the idlers 32, upper pulleys IZX and cutter spindle pulley 8|.

Operation ,The machine is adjusted to take a given size of book by positioning rail 26 with respect to rail 25 according to the width of the book, which also adjusts hopper uprights St-34. Hopper back esteem stop 32A is positioned on rail according to the length of the book; and upright members SIA and 33A are adjusted vertically according to the thickness of the book.

The number of stitches is determined by selection of gear ratios for gears 62-63; the length of the stitch may be adjusted in the sewing ma chine in a known manner. The cutter unit 15 is positioned so that the cutters H will overlie the margin between two succeeding books, as in Fig. 6. To this end, it will be noted in Figs. 6, '7, 8, and 9 that the spring presser 72 is provided with a slot 12X (Fig. 7 particularly) through which the upper cutter descends onto the threading, and this presser may be aligned with the aforesaid margin between the books by loosening the bolt 'EQY (Fig. 8 also) and sliding the presser to desired position. This presser may also be raised or lowered according to the thickness of the book while bolt 72? is loose as aforesaid.

Gathered book signatures, usually held together in individual book form by staples, are placed in the hopper, as in Fig. 2, and after necessary adjustments, threading, etc., are made in the sewing machine, the power may be turned on, whereupon gear 48, driven through the means shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by motor 55, will actuate the rocker 44 and reciprocate the book feed pawl means 35, which will pass beneath th stack of books in the hopper and remove one book at a time therefrom and slide such book (toward the left, Fig. 2) under the presser foot E6 of the sewing machine against the lowered needle N (Fig. 5, dotted lines); thereafter presser it will descend urging the book down upon feed pawl 65, action of which intermittently advances the books after each stitch in the known manner.

When the first book sewn has passed from beneath the feeding pawl of the sewing machine, it will be pushed by the next succeeding book until the adjoining edges of these two books are aligned with the cutters Hill at slot "l2X (Figs. 6, 7, 9).

As the needle descends into the second book for the last stitch, drop 26 in cam 125 (Fig. 2) will pass beneath cam roller EM causing rocker 522 and its projecting arm 52! to descend, thus permitting shift rod i 55 to descend under urgence of springs H35 and H38 on the cutter unit to urge the actuating plate til downwardly; this causes the upper rack 94 (Fig. 10) to rotate its pinion 9,5 clockwise, thus causin pinion to drive its racket downwardly with a consequent shifting of the upper cutter spindle l9 downwardly, so that the upper cutter Hit descends upon the threading 63X (Fig. 6). t the same time, the lower rack 34X moves downwardly rotating its pinion X in an anticlockwise direction, which rotates the lower rocker shaft 86X similarly, causing its pinion 85X to drive the rack 84X upwardly, thus shifting the lower cutter spindle l9 and its cutter Hi6 upwardly against the undermost threadingt tY. As the needle rises from the last stitch, the dwell on cam H25 raises the means 524, l2l, forcing the cutters apart by a reverse action of the cutter actuating plate from that just described.

Variations in thickness of the books are automatically compensated for by the closing action of springs 35 and its. Adjustment for variation said book.

8 Y The'high-speed cutting efficiency of the annular cutters I00 makes it possible to adjust them (in the manner heretofore explained) so as to nip into the thread quickly without their being driven into the book or cloth tape (usuallyused along the stitching edges), it being appreciated that the cutting action against the strand is more positive than against the flat surface of the paper or cloth, as the case may be.

It will be understood that the novel cutting means may be employed with any registering means capable of coaction therewith to position the books or other objects properly for the cutting operation; and likewise, that the novel needle-stop registering means may be used with other types of thread cutter or other cooperation dependent upon accurate registration or positioning of the book or object relative to the needle.

The objects and advantages of the invention as herein specifically set forth for purposes of illustration, may be realized in modified forms without departing from the spirit and scopeof the improvement, and no limitations upon the construction and operation of the invention are intended excepting as may be specifically set forth by th appended claims.

I claim as my invention: a

1. Mechanism of the class described includin means for sewing an object with top and bottom threading, means for feeding said object relative to said sewing means, cutters confronting opposite sides of said object and movable relative to each other and said threading, and means'drivingly cooperating with said feeding means for automatically converging said cutters upon said threading at 'a time when said object is between the cutters and is not in motion underinfluence a running stitch in a book and carry said stitch from book to book as books are fed therethrough, automatic cutting means including a rotary cutter, means mounting said cutter for movement toward and away from a sewn book in said machine, means rotating said cutter, means yieldingly urging said cutter into engagement with a sewn book as aforesaid, actuating means normally holding said cutter out of cutting relationship with a sewn book against the urgence of said means yieldingly urging th cutter, and means operating in timed relation to the sewing action of said sewing machine for operating said actuating means to effect movement thereof causing said cutter to engage the stitching in a sewn book by action of said yieldable urging means at a time during the formation of the last stitch sewn in a book and in the region of the first stitch in 4. In a book sewing machine of the type adapted to form a running lock stitch in a book and to carry said stitch from a sewn book to a book to'be sewn, together with means for advancing a book after completion of each stitch by the V needle, automatic stitch cutting means including a pair of cutters mounted for movement toward and away from each other, means yielding urging said cutters toward each other, means for moving said cutters in cutting action independently of the first-mentioned movement thereof, means mounting said cutters as a unit for positioning in said machine at a point with said cutters aligned respectively above and below the connecting stitch between successively sewn books, cutter actuating means normally moving said cutters away from each other out of cutting relation with sewn books as aforesaid against the action of said yieldable urging means, and cutter control means acting in timed relationship with said advancing means for operating said actuating means to permit movement of the cutters by said yieldable urging means into cutting relation with stitching as aforesaid at a time when said needle is in the course of forming the last stitch in a book.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 further characterized by the provision therein of means for feeding books one at a time into a position of register for engagement by said advancing means, and drive mechanism actuating said feeding means, said advancing means, and said cutter control means in a predetermined timed relationship.

6. Book sewing mechanism comprising a feed bed, means, for advancing books one at a time into said bed, means for sewing books in said bedwith threading that is carried from one sewn book to the next, means for advancing a book intermittently in conjunction with the sewing operations efiected by said sewing means, a thread cutter operable upon sewn books in said bed and positioned to cut the threading at a pointbetween the trailing and leading edges of successively sewn books, said cutter being movable into and out of cutting relationship with threading as aforesaid, actuating means for moving said cutter into and out of cutting relationship as aforesaid, and control means for operating said actuating means to eifect movement of the cutter into cutting relationship with the threading at intervals operatively correlated with the operation of said advancing means.

'7. The combination with a book sewing machine of the type having means adaptedto advance a book intermittently in timed relation to the sewing movements of a sewing needle operating' upon said hook and to carry the threading from one" sewn book to the next succeeding book, of thread cutting meansscomprising: convergently movable cutters mounted to engagersaid threading in the region adjacent the confrontingaedges; of succeeding'b'ooks by convergent movement toward said books and against thethreading thereon, meansnormally disposingsaid; cutters out of cutting position relative, to said 1 threading, means for-moving said cutters intimed cooperation with means for advancing books asaforesaid into cutting relation with said threading, and means, for effecting convergent movementof, the cutters into cutting relation with the threading at ,a time prior to thead- Vance of l a book by A the machine as aforesaid after a last stitch has been'made a said succeeding-book.

8.. The combination of claim T-further char acterized inthat said cutters are rotatable in addition to-being convergently movable, and there is additionally provided means for rotating said cutters independently of other said movements thereof.

9. The combination of claim '7 further characterized by the provision therein of spring means normally urging said cutters convergently into cutting position, means for urging said cutters away from cutting position in opposition to the effort of said spring means, and means operable at intervals timed predeterminately in re-- spect to intermittent advancing movements of a book by the sewing machine as aforesaid for rendering said last-mentioned urging means ineffective to oppose the action of said spring means in urging the cutters into cutting position.

10. In a book sewing machine of the type adapted to make a running stitch carried from book to book and connecting succeeding books passed therethrough one at a time with stitching appearing on opposite sides of each book, thread cutting means including, namely: a pair of rotatable cutters disposed on opposite sides of a said book and movable convergently upon. the stitching at the corresponding sides of a,

book to cut said stitching, and means for efiecting convergent motion of the cutters against said stitching when the connecting stitching between successive books is disposed in alignment with said cutters.

11. In combination, a book sewing machine in cluding a reciprocable sewing needle, and automatic feed means including a book hopper, means actuated in timed relation to the reciprocations of said needle for effecting removal of one bookat a time from said hopper and advancing the same against said needle at a time when the latter is in a lowered position whereby to accurately register said book for sewing by said needle, and feeding means engageable with said,

registered book for moving the latter in sewing action after advance against the needle as aforesaid. a

12. In a sewing machine, a hopper for articles to be sewed, means for ejecting an article from said hopper and advancing the article to a sewing station, a, sewing needle movable in sewing action into and out of position across the path of movement of articles advanced as aforesaid, means for advancing said articles in sewing movements with respect to said needle from said station, and means driving said ejecting and advancing means and said needle,,together with said second-named advancing means, in timed relation such that said articles will be advanced to said station against said needle at a time when the latter is positioned across thepath of movement of articles as aforesaid.

13. In a sewing machine, a vertically reciprocableneedle, an article hopper, means for ejecting one article at a time from said hopper and advancing the same towardsaid needle, a second advancing means for moving said article in sewing action with respect to said needle after delivery of the article by advance as aforesaid to a predetermined position adjacent said needle, and means driving said ejectin and advancing means, said needle, and said second advancing means in timed relationsuch that an ejected article will be advanced by said first advancing means against said needle when the latter is in a lowered position, and thereafter said article will be advanced by action of said second advancing means.

14. Ina book sewing machine, in combination, a feed bed, means for advancing books along said becLa sewing member engageable with a book in said bed, drive-means actuating said advancing means and said sewing member in timed relation such that a book is advanced to a position of register determined by contact with said sewing member, thread cuttin means positioned adjacent said bed in a direction away from the sew ing member in the direction of advance of books, and means coacting with said drive means to actuate said cutting means in cutting operation at a predetermined point along the sewn part of a book intermittently following a prede a termined number of sewing operations of said sewing member on said book.

15. In a book sewing machine, in combination, a vertically reciprocable sewing needle, means for advancing a book from a predetermined position toward and against said needle at a time when the latter is in a lowered sewing position to register said book, means for advancing said book in sewing movements relative to said needle from said position of register, and cutting means reciprocable into and out of cutting relation with a sewn book in a direction substantially normal thereto at a cutting station to which said book is advanced by said second-mentioned advancing means, means normally urging said cutting means into a non-cutting position, and means for urging said cutting means into cutting position relative to a book at said cutting station following a predetermined number of reciprocations of said needle.

16. In a machine of the class described, rotary thread cutters movable convergently, means for effecting movement of thread-bearing articles between said cutters, means urging said cutters apart to receive said articles therebetween, means for simultaneously converging said cutters in a direction upon said articles and the thread thereon when the latter are at a predetermined position of travel but at rest with said cutters working in a direction against said article therebetween with respect to said cutters but at rest with said cutters working in a direction against said article therebetween and the thread thereon, and mechanism actuating the aforesaid means in timed relation for the purposes and in the manner set forth.

17. The invention of claim 16 further characterized by the provision therein of mean for imparting a rotary cutting motion to said cutters concurrently with said converging action thereof, at least.

18. The invention of claim 16 further characterized by the provision therein of means normally and yieldingly urging said cutters in a convergent sense upon said articles and restrained by action of said means for urging the cutters apart, such that when the cutters converge simultaneously as aforesaid, they are automatically self-adjusting to variations in thickness of the articles therebetween by reason of the yieldability of said urg ng means.

19. A cutter comprising members movable in axial alignment toward and away from each other, cutters carried at adjacent ends of said members, rack and pinion means for moving the.

members as aforesaid, and mechanism for period ically moving said members to converge said cutters upon an article to be cut and for moving said members apart from said article.

20. The invention defined in claim 19 further characterized in that said mechanism for moving the members periodicall includes means normally and yieldingly urging said members in aconvergent sense and means actin periodically to force said members apart against the action of said yieldingly urging means.

21. In sewing machines and the like of the type in which articles are fed in succession past a sew- {Ling means movable crosswise of the path of feed- 'and including an article feeder moving said ar ticles toward said starting position, and adjustable drive means for said feeder acting cooperatively in timed relation to sewing movements of said sewing means such that an article will be "advanced by said feeder against said sewing means as a stop register at a time when said sewing means is disposed crosswise of the feeding path aforesaid.

22. Cutter mechanism comprising a pair of ro tatable cutters mounted for convergent and di-- vergent movement upon substances to be cut p0- sitioned therebetween, means for convergin and diverging said cutters, and means driving said cutters in rotary motion.

23. Ina sewing machine, a reciprocating needle, at least two means for feeding objects in succession relative to said needle, a first one of said feeding means moving said objects in succession,

serially; from a feeding station to a predetermined station "adjacent saidneedle, said second feeding means being situated to engage an object at said station and fed thereto by action of said first feeding means, and to effect a further feeding movement of the said object beneath said needle cooperative with sewing movements of the latter, said second feeding means further moving the sewn object away from said needle, and mechanism coordinating the operation of said needle and'said first and second feeding means such that said needle is'fully advanced in direction of sewr ing movement at times when an object is fed to' said station by the first feeding means as aforesaid so that said needle is operated in an idle motion between succeeding objects fed as aforesaid and such that the feeding operation of said first means is fully completed for each object fed thereb at a time when said needle is fully ad vanced in idle feeding movement as aforesaid,

24. In a booksewing machine of the type in eluding a reciprocable sewing needle, improve-' ments comprising a bed for feeding books serially toward said needle; a reciprocable feeding pawl for advancing books from an infeed station to;

as aforesaid by said feeding pawl; said machine further including a known presser pawl feed means for seizing books at said predetermined" position and feeding the same beneath said needle coordinately with sewing movements of the needle; and means reciprocating said feeding pawl in timed coordination with movements of" said needle and said presser pawl feed such that the serially leading book advanced by said feeds ing pawl along said bed will be stopped with its" leading edge closely confronting said needle at" a time'when the latter is lowered in an idle sewing stroke between a sewn book and the next succeeding book to be sewn, said last-mentioned needle has begun a true stitch in the book prev 1. ously advanced thereby to said predetermined 13 position and said presser pawl feed means has seized the book in which said true stitch is begun as aforesaid, whereby the first true stitch in each book fed as aforesaid is registered accurately relative to the leading edge portion thereof.

25. In a sewing machine of the type having a reciprocable needle moving in timed relation to a cooperating presser feed pawl such that the latter is raised to receive an object to be sewn therebeneath at a time when said needle is substantially fully advanced in sewing action in a direction through said object, improvements comprising: infeed and registering means including a reciprocable feeding member operating to advance objects in succession from an infeed station to a registering station adjacent said needle and presser feed pawl with the leading edge portion of said object closely registeredwith said needle, and drive mechanism including a motor and timing means drivingly interconnecting said motor with said sewing machine and said reciprocable feeding member for coordinated action such that objects of a predetermined size will be fed by advance as aforesaid to said registering station with the leading edge of a leading object fully arrested in close proximity to said needle at a time when the latter is fully advanced in REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,114,063 Sturtevant et a1. Oct. 20, 1914 1,764,863 Ackley June 17, 1930 1,888,775 Sieb Nov. 22, 1932 1,888,949 Henares Nov, 22, 1932 2,009,172 Frazier July 23, 1935 2,254,413 Battershell Sept. 2, 1941 2,318,843 Enos May 11, 1943 2,385,712 Konikofi Sept. 25, 1945 

